Hastily Formed Networks and local empowerment : A case study based on the implementation of a proactive disaster management in Indonesia

The overall aim of this thesis is to, through a case study of a local disaster organization, study the prerequisites for building functional Hastily Formed Networks in disasters and also how HFN:s can be linked to a proactive disaster organization.The study looks upon HFN:s from the organizational, cognitive aspects of communication – not the network/information technology – and focus on the issue of local empowerment. To set the theoretical framework the thesis makes use of Peter Senge's model on learning organization, Karl Weicks organizational and communication theory of microlevels in systems, commitment and enactment. The method is a case study with interviews and field observation of a proactive disaster organization in Indonesia, in the Sultanate of Yogyakarta on Java. The results shows that Yogyakarta is actively working with a model to take advantage of the experience from earlier catastrophes, spread the learnings to other, integrate community in the learning and trying to build local empowerment including a bottom-up approach. In the interviews topics raised as important to create a good collaboration in a HFN are: 1) Provide local leaders with professional support and coordination based on a common vision. 2) Establishing local empowerment and common visions. 3) Development of the organization and individuals. 4) The need for formal and informal structures and communication. 5) Need for local mandate for coordination and increased competence in local management. The themes all deal with challenges for HFN:s, presented in earlier research, and link strongly to Senge’s theoretical model for learning organization, trying to build trust and also micro committment for uncertain periods. This contributes to the capacity to be prepared for the unprepared